How can Pain be Assessed? > Systematic Assessment

Practical Assessment of Animal Pain

For practical assessment of pain under 'field' conditions; individuals or groups of animals may be assessed using the following points:

Look at the interaction of the animals, and their individual demeanour (Wemelsfelder et al 2000).
Carry out a subjective or objective assessment of any abnormal activities or postures, including the position of limbs, head, neck, ears and tail.
Identify and assess any changes in gait (lameness), together with the number of animals affected.
Approach the flock / herd or an individual animal to observe the response to disturbance (evoked behaviour). Look for decreased flight distances and the speed of response to the threat - animals showing reduced responses may be in pain.
Look for signs of poor body, skin and coat condition, presence of external parasites, wounds, or other signs of disease.
Look for physiological signs such as altered respiratory effort (including increased rate, depth, gasping, open-mouthed breathing, panting), sweating, trembling, increased muscle tone, dilated pupils, wide-open eyes, depression and aggression towards observer, particularly in response to touch.
Note any physiological, environmental or husbandry conditions that could also account for any of the observed signs e.g. pregnancy, heavy rain.
Seek the owner's / carer's assessment of the animal and note his/her competence and co-operation.
With their co-operation, a history of any on-going clinical condition should be taken, including any treatment in progress.

If you, as an owner or carer of an individual or group of animals, consider it / them to be in pain, call your veterinary surgeon for advice / and or a visit to determine the cause and treatment of the problem.

The validity, reliability and sensitivity of the method needs to be sufficient to achieve the objectives of the assessment; identification of two grades of pain could be sufficient i.e. to treat or not to treat the animal(s).